Party for soon to be 11 year old boy

[smileychubs]

What sort of party would be suitable for an 11 year old boy as I am abit stuck as he doesnt want to do bowling.

[Tinkerbel6]

Ice-skating, pictures and pizza hut, go-karting ? I think he is too young for paintballing but might be an idea for the future.

[gillybean2]

What is your son into? We have recently gone to go-karting and lazer quest parties.

My son is going to be 10 in January. We are going to an outdoor adventure centre (Stubbers near upminster). They will either do high wire & wall climbing or an army training style course with asault course, making a camp fire and cooking beans on it and lots of other things. They get some dogtags to take home at the end of that. He's not really into army stuff but loves obstactal course and haws been camping with cubs etc so hoping they can adapt it to something less 'army' more scouts. Will be making a decision next week as to which one to book! That is slightly more in price though, but not much.

I plan to take a picnic lunch for them and skipping party bags as they will get the dogtags if they do the army course and am putting a small toy in the lunch boxes.

For 8 children it is around £100 per activity, so comparable to bowling or similar! And I can add another 2 children for not very much more.

I did look at going to a snowdome but the travelling was prohibitive as rather too far from us.

Last year we hired a local cinema (£50 for up to 30 children and as many adults who would stay as we liked). Brought all our own food, drink and cake. So there are cheap options out there if price is a consideration for you. If you fancy an activity type party check ouot your local scout centres, they have plenty of activities often do birthday parties and it's not mega bucks like you'd pay at a 'for profit' place.

[smileychubs]

My son is into nature and trampoling. Yes money is a factor with it just being before christmas.

[gillybean2]

I would say avoid a trampolinging party unless you can get another activity going at the same time. The children spend very little time each on the trampoline and the rest is just standing around.

Ask your local sports centre what they offer by way of a party as they may do some kind of gym games and use the spring board and mini trampoline things. What about a swimming party or wall climbing or something like that if he is sporty.

If he is into nature could you not organise an outdoor activity. Bit cold but you might still manage pond dipping, or a nature trail with activities along the way and items to find. This could be followed up with pizza hut or birthday tea or something. Someone on another thread ran a very successful science lab party with experiments and white lab coats etc. You could do a similar thing but with a nature theme. Do you ahev the time and/or inclination to organise something like this?

[smileychubs]

I havent really got the time gillybean, wish I had as that sounds a great idea. Yes will ask at the local sports hall see if they did anything. Did think about a swimming party but I have knocked that idea on the head.

[Sam2kids]

My son is 11 next week. To save money we are going to the saturday morning special offer at lazerzone. Half the price of normal and even cheaper than if you booked in as a party. Just get there as the doors open to be sure you get in as it is rather popular. Boys love it. I am taking total of 6 kids with the help of my parents for transport. After there we are coming back to my house and I am doing a party lunch here. My son and his friends are into Army so I have got an army theme. Pin the Medal on the soldier instead of pin the tale on theh donkey, Pass the grenade, Drill seargent says, pass the parcel with forfeits and army questions and then a team game of waterbombs outside on the lawn and blindfolds with one giving directs to avoid the "mines". The one who stands on the least waterbombs wins. There's so much you can do. We did it last year when he was 10 and it went down so well we're doing it again. Last year I even got army themed party bags from ebay and all the table stuff and decorations in camo. Great fun! This year I've managed to buy some Army tank shaped chocolates from Ebay. The list of stuff goes on and on and you can go for it in a big way right down to the army tank personalised birthday card and badge. I also made table mats from camo I printed off the internet which I then laminated.